1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to underground mining and, more particularly, to lagging panels for roof control at underground openings.
2. Description of Related Art
Certain areas of underground openings are susceptible to a roof fall, i.e., falling rock, which presents a danger to mine personnel. Typically, when an underground opening has experienced a roof fall, the rock debris is removed from the area and the area of the roof fall is bolted and backfilled to reduce the risk of further rock fall. The process of bolting and backfilling the area of the roof that experienced roof fall, however, is a time consuming process that requires the mine to stop production. In addition, backfill material is costly and backfilling the large roof fall area can become prohibitively expensive. Accordingly, there is a need for a simple and reliable system to protect personnel and moving vehicles from falling rock.
Furthermore, there are currently no design guidelines and methodologies for lagging panels available that have been well-established to meet engineering needs in the underground mining industry. The design of lagging panels in the mining industry is generally based on trial-and-error and field experiences. Therefore, a practical and reliable lagging panel design methodology is needed which takes into account the impact loads the panel may be subjected to from the falling rock.